Oria Henry: Father and daughter died in deliberate crash, inquest hears

Rachael Leader previously said she would "cherish every moment" with her daughter Oria Henry

The car crash which killed a two-year-old girl and her father appears to have been a "deliberate" act, an inquest has heard.

Ashley Henry and his daughter Oria Henry died when the car he was driving collided with a lorry in Lincolnshire on Father's Day.

Mr Henry, 35, and his daughter were pronounced dead at the scene in Anwick.

Senior Coroner Paul Smith adjourned the inquests until a criminal case into the collision concluded.

Det Insp Andy McWatt told Lincoln Coroner's Court that police had received reports of a serious road crash on the A153 at about 14:45 BST on 18 June.

The reports included information about a "car going head-on straight into a lorry".

"Dashcam footage from that lorry has been obtained and the act seems to be deliberate by the car driver

"Therefore, a criminal investigation has been launched into that incident," Det Insp McWatt added.

Lincolnshire Police previously said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the collision.

Oria Henry was travelling in a blue Nissan Qashqai when it collided with a lorry in Main Road, Anwick

The precise medical cause of the toddler's death remains to be determined, the inquest heard.

An inquest into the death of Mr Henry, of Cherryleas Drive, Leicester, heard he sustained "a number of traumatic injuries" but the exact cause of his death was yet to be confirmed.

Mr Smith adjourned both inquests until December pending the conclusion of the police investigation.

No family members attended the hearings, but Mr Smith offered his condolences to relatives of the deceased.

Oria's mother, Rachael Leader, previously said on social media her daughter had spent the weekend in Skegness with her father before her death.

Ms Leader paid tribute to her daughter in a statement issued by Lincolnshire Police, in which she said Oria had given her "so much light, love and happiness".